Chester White
Encyclopedia
The Chester White is a breed
of domestic pig
which originated in Chester County, Pennsylvania
.
The Chester White was first developed around 1815-1818, using strains of large, white pigs common to the Northeast U.S. and a white boar imported from Bedfordshire
. Some historians conjecture that Chinese pigs were also added to the mix as well.
By 1884 a breed association was officially formed but competing organizations, sometimes for individual strains, continued to appear into the early 20th century. Finally in 1930 all breed organizations were consolidated under the Chester White Swine Record Association, an act which aided the spread of the breed into the rest of the country.
Today the Chester White is a versatile breed suited to both intensive
and extensive husbandry. Though not as popular as the Duroc
, Yorkshire, or Hampshire
, the Chester White is actively used in commercial crossbreeding operations for pork.
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of domestic pig
Domestic pig
The domestic pig is a domesticated animal that traces its ancestry to the wild boar, and is considered a subspecies of the wild boar or a distinct species in its own right. It is likely the wild boar was domesticated as early as 13,000 BC in the Tigris River basin...
which originated in Chester County, Pennsylvania
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
.
The Chester White was first developed around 1815-1818, using strains of large, white pigs common to the Northeast U.S. and a white boar imported from Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
. Some historians conjecture that Chinese pigs were also added to the mix as well.
By 1884 a breed association was officially formed but competing organizations, sometimes for individual strains, continued to appear into the early 20th century. Finally in 1930 all breed organizations were consolidated under the Chester White Swine Record Association, an act which aided the spread of the breed into the rest of the country.
Today the Chester White is a versatile breed suited to both intensive
Intensive pig farming
Intensive piggeries are a type of factory farm ' specialized in the raising of domestic pigs up to slaughter weight...
and extensive husbandry. Though not as popular as the Duroc
Duroc (pig)
Duroc pig is an older breed of American domestic pig that forms the basis for many mixed-breed commercial hogs. Duroc pigs are red, large-framed, medium length, and muscular, with partially drooping ears, and tend to be one of the most aggressive of all the swine breeds.-Origins:The breed...
, Yorkshire, or Hampshire
Hampshire (pig)
The Hampshire pig is a domestic swine breed characterized by erect ears and a black body with a whitish band around the middle, covering the front legs....
, the Chester White is actively used in commercial crossbreeding operations for pork.